Spyderco and FRN handles

S

SillyWillie1

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
37
I was looking to buy an endura or a delica, but I'm a little unsure about these FRN handles. I previously and very briefly owned a Spyderco salt with FRN handle and the handles didn't seem to durable, kind of seems like plastic.

Is FRN a reliable material? will it hold up to everyday use?
 
It is a kind of plastic. Yes, it will hold up. The current Endura and Delica models also have steel liners to add rigidity.
 
I really like the FRN. It's inexpensive and extremely tough. It makes a knife that's very durable, light and not too precious to use. Great stuff, IMHO.
 
I've had a couple of FRN handled Spydies for around ten years. So far, the FRN is showing less wear than the steel blades ;).

Have no worries about that "plastic". The Fiber Reinforced Nylon is dimensionally stable, and a pretty fair thermal and electrical insulator, too. I have yet to find a chemical that bothers it, and I have worked with some pretty scary chemicals. As far as strength goes, it has taken everything I have done to it without a cheater bar. It has enough flexibility to take pretty severe impacts without damage. In fact, the only thing it doesn't seem to do well is look expensive :D
 
The FRN is a seriously tough material. It is lighter and grippier than virtually anything other than sandpaper and with skeletonized metal liners it is very stiff and durable. I could never imagine having my Delica in G10 or SS. It's just perfect with FRN. My hands could be covered in vaseline and I could still grip the thing easily!
 
Looks can be deceiving, the FRN is tough stuff. I have a 17 year old Endura and it was my only EDC for many years. The FRN has a few scratches here and there, but pretty much bomb proof. Worry more about the moving parts wearing out:)
 
Polymers are as tuff as hell. Don't worry about noth'n, just enjoy yer knives.
Lycosa
 
Odds are that the metal pivot pin will fail before the FRN. I have found FRN to be an amazingly tough material that just laughs at anything I can throw at it. Buy it with confidence.
 
FRN is one of the great underrated handle materials. Years of use and it'll still look the same, it can be molded to have interesting grip patterns, and it resists cracking and chipping like you wouldn't believe.
 
I personally HATE frn. I dont like the feel or look of it.

That being said I have no worries about its toughness or reliability as a handle material.
 
With the exception of my Yang kitchen knife, all of my Spydies are FRN.

FRN may not look that pretty, but it works.
 
FRN, to me, looks and feels cheap. I had to learn to get over that. It's light and tough. I think you'll like it after it spends some time in real use.
 
the FRN handles of the Delica4/Endura4 have great traction with 3D texturing ... the Endura4 is my favorite FRN handle in my Spydie collection.... the cool 3D texturing on the handles of the NativeIII and D'allara models are also noteworthy :thumbup: for a hard use knife FRN is all you need.....while it's not as "in vogue" as G-10 handles or even Micarta, all 3 handle types seem "bombproof" :)
I can't wait to check out the Rock Salt's handle/sheath :cool:
 
:thumbup:For the FRN handles I really like the look and feel of them. To me a very attractive handle material! :cool:
 
i dont like FRN, it looks "cheap" to me, and a knife is gonna have to really offer me some unheard of features and be available only w/a FRN handle before i ever buy one again.

that said it works fine for knife handles and i doubt ya will ever break one.
 
FRN may not look as expensive as some of the more exotic handle materials, but I'll bet it'll last longer though. It's light too
 
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